How people in new roles wind up in emergency coaching (and how to avoid it)

Most early leadership failures are preventable if you treat your onboarding like the strategy project it actually is.

Too often, I’ve seen people in big new jobs figure out that they needed coaching only after they stumbled. They failed to gain their team’s trust, got off to an awkward start with their new boss, unwittingly alienated people they needed on their side or came in swinging without taking time to understand why things are the way they are at their new organization. Another big one: they over-relied on the skills that fueled their prior successes instead of mastering the competencies they needed in their new role. 

At that point, coaching becomes emergency treatment instead of preventative care. Don’t get me wrong: as a coach and advisor, I like working with professionals at all stages, and sometimes the messier situations are more interesting and challenging engagements. But what new leader wouldn't rather spend their time moving ambitious ideas forward than digging out after a rough start? 

While not every misstep is preventable, one thing makes early success more likely: treating onboarding as a project in itself. That means making space, amid so much subject-matter mastery, to think about managing bosses and boards, mapping formal and informal power, building internal and external alliances, overcoming your own blindspots, notching early wins and other strategic pursuits.

I’ve captured some of the key steps to starting strong into a New Job Playbook and planning process I’m rolling out with clients in my individual practice. My hope: to help leaders understand that success in a new role isn’t only about doing great work (but yes, do great work) — it’s about developing a deep understanding of the dynamics you’re walking into and moving accordingly.

I’ll also be sharing some of the ideas from my playbook over the coming weeks, so please find me on LinkedIn if you'd like to join the conversation there.

If you'd like to discuss your own role, please book a 30-minute intro call here.